Freshman Breanna Macha allows seven runs on nine hits in six innings pitched against California at Farrington Stadium in Tempe on Friday March 20, 2015. The Sun Devils defeated the Golden Bears 8-7. (Jacob Stanek/The State Press)
With lightning striking in the distance for most of the game, the No. 21 ASU softball team made sure that it struck first in a three game series against No. 12 California.
After getting down by three runs in the fifth inning, ASU (21-9, 2-1 Pac-12) came out victorious in a hard fought match by a margin of 8-7.
Starting in the circle for the Sun Devils was freshman Breanna Macha, who got her 10th win in 15 decisions and pitched six innings, giving up seven runs and nine hits before being relieved by fellow freshman Dale Ryndak.
Ryndak came through with the save after a resilient performance by Macha, and the freshman tandem knows that they have each other's backs.
"I think that we complement each other perfectly," Ryndak said. "We both have a super tough mentality and we go in, no matter what inning it is, and just throw our own game."
Sophomore shortstop Chelsea Gonzales started things out on offense for ASU in the bottom of the third, sending a three-run home run soaring over the center-field wall.
"I was just looking for a good first pitch," Gonzales said. "I'm glad I found it."
Sophomore Chelsea Gonzales hits a three-run home run in the bottom of the third inning against California at Farrington Stadium in Tempe on Friday March 20, 2015. The Sun Devils defeated the Golden Bears 8-7. (Jacob Stanek/ The State Press)
California (22-5, 1-3 Pac-12) came storming back in the next frame, however, notching six runs on a pair of two-run doubles and a pair of RBI singles. The Golden Bears led 6-3 entering the bottom of the fourth.
Senior outfielder Sierra Rodriguez stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the inning and delivered, crushing a solo home run to right field to bring ASU within two.
In the bottom of the fifth, senior third basemen Haley Steele came to bat and hit the third home run of the game for the Sun Devils, this one a two-run shot. Steele's bat appeared to make contact with the ball just as lightning struck in the distance behind Farrington Stadium, making for an amazing sight.
HALEY STEELE!!! As lightning strikes in the distance, the Sun Devils strike with a two-run home run to tie the game at six with @CalSoftball— Ryan Clarke (@RClarkeASU) March 21, 2015
Later in the inning, Rodriguez reached on an error and a run came home from third, giving ASU the lead 7-6.
In the bottom of the sixth, sophomore catcher Sashel Palacios joined the home run party and fired a solo shot to center that landed right next to a cameraman on a platform.
Macha praised her team's efforts on the offensive end.
"We're just grinding it out every single play," Macha said. "We talked about better quality at-bats, which can definitely happen, but I think we definitely did produce tonight."
Cal got a run back in the top of the seventh off of a solo home run by senior Danielle Henderson, but couldn't get past Ryndak, who came up with the save.
ASU head coach Craig Nicholson acknowledged that his team will face many games like this one in Pac-12 play.
"We've just talked about that we're gonna be in some ugly ones and we've got to make sure that we play 21 outs," Nicholson said. "Tonight we did a good job of that offensively."
Game two of the series will begin at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Farrington Stadium.
Reach the reporter at rclarke6@asu.edu or follow @RClarkeASU on Twitter.
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